“How do you get maintenance done to my dirt roads when I have all my guys tied up doing rebuilds?” he asked.

In the time he has been working at the road and bridge office, the number of blade operators has shrunk from 18 to 12.

Hamm admitted fault for letting roads in Becker’s district regress, but said he had a plan going forward.

“That’s what we’re trying to do is get them drivable, so I can start with my big plan in a month or so,” he said.

At Novak’s request, there will be a meeting at 2:30 p.m. Sept. 13 to discuss roads.

Dallke said too many meetings are being held with individual townships.

“That’s what I’m not liking here, is that we’re on pace for 24 township meetings by the end of the year,” he said.

It is too hectic for the department to meet with so many townships, Dallke said.

The Marion County Community Economic Development Corp. spoke to the commission about hiring an executive director. The position would pay $60,000 per year with an additional $12,000 in benefits.

Economic development group chairman Clint Siebel proposed two options. Under the first, the new employee is accountable to the commission and the economic development group serves as advisory board.

The second option is to hire the person with the county as paymaster and the development group handling oversight. The county has the ultimate decision on hiring and the development group will use the county’s employee handbook.

The commission voted 2-1, with Novak opposed, for the second option.

“I disagree with Randy about having the county serve as paymaster and having them serve as oversight,” Novak said. “That really worries me.”

One of Novak’s reservations was that the cities in the area withdrew funding, leaving the county as the sole financial backer.

The board believes if a director is hired and progress is shown, area municipalities will be more likely to help with funding.

“Most of the communities are on board,” board member Darin Nuefeld said. “Even the ones who didn’t sign up for it, we talked to some of them.”

The board will have to rewrite its bylaws. Dallke said he has confidence in the board and the advice of county counselor Brad Jantz, who inspected the bylaws with Siebel.